I was inspired today, by this story on Engadget Mobile, about the new system by Ikea that lets you take photos of barcodes on promo booths, using your phone, that give you discounts in Ikea stores. Which is all well and good, but Engadget make the point about a phone that comes in twenty pieces, and is suspiciously cheap.
Which got me thinking; what would an Ikea Mobile Phone look and be like?
Clearly this is a question that needs answering, so, as part of our brand new “Stupid Mobile Phone Concepts” category, please say hello to the Ikea Mobile ‘GimÃ¥lobloben’.
“This funky, retro mobile phone is handcrafted from all the latest retro technology by the indigenous tribes of the lower Dengdeng valley, where retro mobile phone technology has shaped their lives for centuries. You can even see the bubbles in the leather, put there in a factory in Älmhult to make you believe there actually is, proof it was handcrafted by these noble people. Only the finest leatherette (presumably got from cow-ettes) is used in the high quality covering of this retro beauty.
Everything comes in a handy flat pack, for you to assemble in the comfort and safety of your own home. So, don’t delay! Fall victim to the Ikea nesting instinct, and get yourself the Ikea Mobile GimÃ¥lobloben today!”
See? It’s a goer, this, I’m telling you, now, it’s got legs. There are some issues to be resolved with it, such as the fact it breaks after 3 days (ALWAYS happens to me with Ikea stuff, that), the fact that it’s patently a mental idea, and the fact that most people, not even me, have no idea whatsoever how to build a phone (if you’re going Swedish, leave it to Sony Ericsson). Combine that with the rubbishy, pictorial Ikea instructions (that look like Mr Benn and are about as much use), and maybe it’s not such a good idea…
And you can guarantee there’ll be a screw left over…
[Technical Markus would like to thank Fight Club, directed by David Fincher, for the Ikea nesting instinct and the bubbles joke.]
Think the Ikea Mobile would be the best thing ever? Are you ready to build your own phone? Leave us a comment and have your say!
February 21st, 2008 at 2:14 pm
[...] the success of the Ikea mobile phone, more and more companies want in on the mobile world, seeing it as their next step to world [...]
January 21st, 2010 at 9:15 am
It is actually not such a bad idea, nor is it unrealistic.
I can see two directions where it could go:
a) real world offer: IKEA already started offering a SIM only package, as many retailers do.
The fitting handset would be an allround low cost smartphone with IKEA branding and an iKEA button to link you directly to their shopping website (btw: the Kea is a clever NZ native bird able to dismantle everything – even cars).
b) the DIY phone TORVALDS with a shell of steam pressed laminated wood, LINUX system (optionally – if you choose the total DIY version – an ARDUINO processor with a handbook “Arduino for Dummies”), a soldering iron, preformatted platines and the choice of three keyboards in BILLY fashion: red, black, white. The detailed 2 page instruction should give you a fully functioning mobile (the TORVALDS hotline costs only 0,47 EUR or 4,78 SEK per minute from a landline, mobile tariffs may differ). If still hungry for novelties you can add GPS with the module GLØBE or a pull-out QWERTY keyboard with optional å ä á etc.)
Feel free to enhance my suggestion